badgerand the NPANatural standard

Badger's Natural Background:
Badger has built a business around natural. We believe that simple natural ingredients have withstood the test of time and are the safe alternative in our rapidly changing chemical laden society. But what does "natural" mean for personal care products? At Badger, we have been using simple food standards in defining natural, but we recognize that by these standards we cannot make a shampoo or even a soap. We realized that we all use products that require processing beyond a simple steam distillation or an extraction. Although we continue to abide by our rigorous standards for the products that we produce, we wanted to help raise the level of natural across all products. In the spring of 2008 Badger joined a group of industry professionals and the Natural Products Association to establish the new "U.S. Natural Standard for Personal Care Products" in response to the current dilution and ambiguity of the term "natural" in personal care products. Currently many products label themselves as "natural" even if they are made entirely of synthetic and controversial ingredients. This confuses and misleads people who don't know which products and brands to trust. This new natural standard with its "Natural Seal" identifies products that are made with safe, environmentally benign and mostly natural ingredients and will help people make informed purchasing decisions.

Badger and the NPA Natural Standard:
All of our products that are USDA certified organic also have been certified to the NPA's natural standard. Although we believe that the organic seal signifies a more rigorous level of purity, we also recognize that many people are simply looking for products that are natural and safe. Following the natural standard ensures that the ingredients used in our products do not have associated health concerns and that they are considered natural according to the NPA's natural standard and the USDA organic standard. Knowledge is power, and we encourage you to read and understand the ingredients on any products that you use on your body. This natural standard is an evolving process and we are constantly working toward making it even more natural and sustainable. In 2010 we unveiled the second phase of this standard which prohibited the use of the few synthetic ingredients allowed in the initial phase and promoted more socially and environmentally sustainable ingredient supplies by encouraging use of Certified Organic and Fair Trade ingredients.